Exploring the connections and conflicts within politicised socially engaged
new media art practices has involved an investigation into the language,
characteristics and methodologies of visual art, new medi~ art (NMA) and
socially engaged art (SEA), as well as the hybrid practice of socially engaged
new media art (SENMA). The investigation includes research through the
practice of curating RISK: Creative Action in Political Culture which presented
SEA and NMA practice and encouraged dialogue which informed the themes
and vocabularies.The thesis focuses on the vocabulary used to: understand values of object
and process; define and utilise different kinds of tools; and describe
differences between concepts of interactivity, participation and collaboration.
It then contextualises the political relevance of these themes by situating
them within current theoretical debates about politicised creative practice in
chapter 5, mapping the tensions of political intent, strategy and tactics,
distribution and distance. Topologies of different types of networks, platforms
and open source development methodologies are used to map parallel
concepts between politicised NMA and SEA.